Board Certification in plastic surgery and membership in the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) ensure that a physician has subjected themselves to the most rigorous standards of education, training, ethics, and continued improvement.Board Certification is necessary to identify oneself as a board certified plastic surgeon and ensures that the physician train in a plastic surgery fellowship and NOT IN ANOTHER SPECIALTY. Only surgeons who train in an approved plastic surgery residency or fellowship can sit for the American Board of Plastic Surgery Examination.
Hello and thank you for your question. Board-certification is a critical aspect of choosing your surgeon. You will find that some answers to these types of questions are based on the particular background of the surgeon answering the question. For this reason, it is veryimportant that you thoroughly research your surgeon before committing tosurgery. It is a good idea to research your surgeon's educational background,online reviews, before & after pictures, and speak with anyone who you mayknow who has had surgery with that surgeon. During your consultation, make surethat you don't feel rushed and make sure that you have adequate time with yoursurgeon and not just their patient coordinator or nurses. If the majority ofyour consultation is spent with someone other than the surgeon, this is usuallynot a good sign. The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you arecomfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualifiedboard-certified expert surgeon who can evaluate you in person.Best wishes and good luck.Richard G. Reish, M.D.Harvard-trained plastic surgeon
